Lydia Simiyu wins the women's 42km race/ HANDOUT
Samson Lemayan and Lydia Simiyu emerged victorious at the 26th edition of the Lewa Safari Marathon held on Saturday at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Isiolo County.
Lemayan, a ranger at Samburu National Reserve, successfully defended his men's 42km crown after mastering the demanding terrain to cross the finish line in 2:27:04.
The reigning champion held off the challenge of Victor Miano, who finished second in 2:28:08, while Nehemiah Kimaru completed the podium places in 2:32:38.
"This is my third year participating in this race and my second time winning it. I prepared specifically for this race from last year and I am delighted to have defended my title. The Lewa Marathon is more challenging than many other races because of the terrain, so winning here means a lot as I continue preparing for upcoming competitions," said Lemayan.
In the women's 42km race, Kenya Wildlife Service officer Lydia Simiyu produced an impressive debut performance to storm to victory in 2:50:39.
The 32-year-old from Kitale in Trans Nzoia County finished comfortably ahead of Lydia Nyansikera, who clocked 2:56:41, while Gladys Otero settled for third place in 3:07:40.
Simiyu described the victory as a major milestone in her athletics career, having long targeted the prestigious conservation-themed race.
"This is my first time competing at the Lewa Safari Marathon and winning it is a major milestone in my career. It is one of the races I have always wanted to run because of its reputation as one of the toughest marathon courses," she said.
The half marathon titles went to Michael Kamau and Mercy Nelima, who claimed victory in 1:06:36 and 1:19:02 respectively.
Justine Lelintan (1:07:59) and Doreen Kendi (1:23:09) finished second in the men's and women's races, while Simon Saidimu (1:08:30) and Caroline Waithira (1:26:12) rounded off the podium positions.
Wilson Moyer and Jessica Baillie triumphed in the Executive 10km race.
Winners in both the full marathon and half marathon categories pocketed Sh150,000, with runners-up earning Sh80,000 and third-placed finishers receiving Sh60,000.
More than 1,400 runners from Kenya and across the globe took part in this year's event, which combines elite competition with efforts to support wildlife conservation and community programmes in northern Kenya.
The marathon was sponsored by Safaricom and Huawei, alongside partners including Amref Health Africa, Kenya Red Cross, Atlas Towers, Safarilink, ICEA Lion and Tropical Heat.
